Bosnidou Alexandra-Eleni, Kalpogiannaki Dimitra, Karanestora Sofia, Nixas John A, Hadjiarapoglou Lazaros P
J Org Chem. 2015 Jan 16;80(2):1279-83. doi: 10.1021/jo502611x.
A cyclic β-dicarbonyl phenyliodonium ylide reacted with various substituted styrenes under Rh2(OAc)4 catalysis to give cyclopropanes and dihydrofurans in a highly regioselective fashion. When styrenes with electron-donating substituents or disubstituted were employed, only dihydrofurans were isolated instead. A mechanism involving two competing pathways rationalizes the results.